Author Topic: Discussion and Suggestion Thread  (Read 24941 times)

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #20 on: September 13, 2012, 10:32:52 PM »
So many inverted powers!

Hexed Hex refers to creatures instead of objects in the 3rd sentence.

Does a fundamental's effect stack with its ritual benefit?

A lot of the apprentice techniques seem very weak. In particular, Bleeding Ears is strictly worse than Disrupt Balance at level 1, and even once it starts to last longer, deafening is a relatively weak effect in most cases (slightly stronger against players due to disrupting communications in once direction). Twist Offsenses/Defenses, especially with their very short durations, have nearly no effect at lower levels (although they do scale reasonably enough into higher levels).

Hexed Hex now refers to objects where it should.

A fundamental's effect stacks with its ritual benefit.  However, in order to gain the ritual benefit after using the fundamental, you would have to ritually charge the fundamental again.  Is there a way I can make this more clear?

Twist Offences/Defences now applies a -3 penalty, scaling up to -10 at 10 tama.  Does this make them more useful?  I'm still working on improving Bleeding Ears.  Would you have any advice as to how to make it stronger?  Hopefully while still being deafen-y.

The PDF has been updated with the above changes.
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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #21 on: September 14, 2012, 09:35:42 PM »
A question for all.  Should I change the duration of burst techniques with a duration of 1 round/level to 3 rounds?  I feel like this would both make several techniques more useful at early levels (1st level, in particular), while also not letting you give a creature a -10 penalty to attack and damage rolls for 20 rounds at 20th level.  Of course, a number other than 3 could be used; the general idea is to change durations from x/level to a constant x.



The durations of many burst techniques have been changed to 3 rounds.  In addition, the kagaribito can no longer use their pyros reactor to heal.



Tama recovery has been changed.  A technician can now recover an amount of tama equal to twice her tama capacity by taking a full-round action.  In addition, at the end of each round in which she does not use any akashic magic at all (no techniques, technique-like abilities, racial or class features that cost tama, or full-round actions to recover tama), she automatically recovers an amount of tama equal to her tama capacity.  Thanks to these changes, a technician can only nova for about 3 rounds before she has to slow down and cast like a normal person.

Also, I gave the meister the full warblade weapon aptitude.  Because why not.
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 12:29:26 PM by Hanako Tachibana »
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Offline DonQuixote

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #22 on: September 18, 2012, 12:10:27 AM »
The duration change is a good one.  I've always preferred short-duration effects as a way of balancing at-will abilities.  And you pulled it off pretty elegantly with Evil Eye and Induce Fear.

Similarly, slowing down tama recovery is probably for the best.  It imposes a resource management dynamic that, previously, could be bypassed.
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Offline Agita

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #23 on: September 19, 2012, 09:25:45 AM »
I notice a few snippets of leftover LaTeX code in the text, specifically \emph tags, as well as a \% in one place, presumably a hole in whatever LaTeX to bb conversion script you used.
On the content itself, I'm still in the process of digesting all the material, but so far I like what I'm seeing.
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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #24 on: September 19, 2012, 11:03:11 AM »
Okay, I think I took care of all the LaTeX code.  And I'm glad you like what you are seeing.  I look forward to your comments~
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Offline Agita

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #25 on: September 22, 2012, 08:39:22 PM »
Okay, time for some actual commenting now that I both have read the material and am at an actual computer.

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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #26 on: September 22, 2012, 11:50:38 PM »
The Tama Pool has been edited to say that the bonus tama from a high Constitution modifier is equal to your Constitution modifier.

Ritually charging a fundamental now counts as using that fundamental, so you can't ritually charge a fundamental if you couldn't use it normally.

Primitive Vision has been edited to hopefully suggest that henkei can only see out to 30 feet (plus upgrades).

The Guild, Tower, and Factory are correct where they are.  The following text (from an older iteration of the Records, and so possibly slightly outdated) may elucidate matters somewhat.
(click to show/hide)

Akashic Mark has been edited to describe the mark produced.  It is subtle, about the size of a finger nail, and needs a DC 20 Spot check to notice.

Devil in the Details does indeed allow a henkei mamono to do what you said they could do.

I don't really feel like changing the mutations stuff.  Also, the text for mutations explicitly notes that the benefits gained from multiple mutations stack.  I believe this takes care of the fast healing stuff.

I like my capstones like I like my coffee: as a single, discrete class feature.

Unarmed Meisters are totally proficient with their unarmed strikes.  Check their Weapon and Armor Proficiencies.

As for the skills thing, what would you say I should do?  Mamono should certainly get some more skills, but I'm not really sure what skills I should be giving to Majo or Miko.

I cannot tell in what manner Reject Suffering and Reject Misery are swapped.  They appear to be correctly tama'd and level'd.

Un:Echo replicates the augmented status of the technique it is copying.  It has been edited to state this.

The Quickening is a master technique because... I don't know.  I intended it to me a master technique, so it isn't like I made a mistake, but... Should I change it or make it stronger?  Does it seem fine as a master technique?

All "levels points of damage" have been fixed.

Re:Harmonize has been edited so that conditions that would prevent it from working no longer prevent it from working.

Second Change has been fixed as suggsted.

Akashic Armor is now a [Force] effect.

Fly in the Air has the proper +2 ritual benefit now.

Starlight Curtain describes what happens when you use it on a creature.



Other than all that, what do you think of the Records?
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Offline Agita

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #27 on: September 23, 2012, 05:52:20 AM »
I don't really feel like changing the mutations stuff.  Also, the text for mutations explicitly notes that the benefits gained from multiple mutations stack.  I believe this takes care of the fast healing stuff.

I like my capstones like I like my coffee: as a single, discrete class feature.
Fair enough.

Unarmed Meisters are totally proficient with their unarmed strikes.  Check their Weapon and Armor Proficiencies.
Must've missed that. Whoops.

As for the skills thing, what would you say I should do?  Mamono should certainly get some more skills, but I'm not really sure what skills I should be giving to Majo or Miko.
Tough to say... there really aren't all that many classic 'caster' skills. I notice that the Miko could use Performance to go with their dance class feature, though.

I cannot tell in what manner Reject Suffering and Reject Misery are swapped.  They appear to be correctly tama'd and level'd.
And they are, but Reject Suffering is described in the fourth post of the thread, in which all other techniques are Master, while Reject Misery is in the third post, where all others are Initiate.

The Quickening is a master technique because... I don't know.  I intended it to me a master technique, so it isn't like I made a mistake, but... Should I change it or make it stronger?  Does it seem fine as a master technique?
I'm not sure. It's probably fine as it is, just something I noticed.


Other than all that, what do you think of the Records?
Overall, I like it. It's been a while since a piece of homebrew made me go "I'd like to play this".
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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #28 on: September 23, 2012, 01:56:41 PM »
Class skills have been improved around the board.

Reject Suffering and Reject Misery have been put in the right posts.  I'm not sure how I missed that one.

I'm glad you like my homebrew :).
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Offline Agita

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #29 on: September 25, 2012, 09:49:14 AM »
One thing I just noticed: Ephemeral Ward is clearly intended to be used in response to adverse effects or attacks (the text states as much), but is usable as a swift action, not an immediate action.

EDIT: Steam Vector deals 1d6 damage base, but adds 2d4 damage per Tama spent to augment it. Is this intentional?
« Last Edit: September 25, 2012, 09:51:00 AM by Agita »
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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #30 on: September 25, 2012, 12:53:34 PM »
Ephemeral Ward is now usable as an immediate action (as it should have been).

Steam Vector deals an extra 2d6 points of damage per Tama spent to augment (as it should have been).
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Offline Garryl

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #31 on: September 26, 2012, 11:25:47 AM »
Typo in Skills/Feats regarding artificial spirits. Under the Role ability, it says they're created to fill specific rolls, not roles.
Guiding Spirit uses a double ` instead of a " when referring to the ``concentrator".

Artificial Spirit's effective carrying capacity in Spirit Hands is incorrect. As a diminutive creature, its capacity is 1/4 of normal for a Medium creature (1/2 if it's a quadruped, but I don't think it is).

Meteor Initiate
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Meteor Master
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« Last Edit: September 26, 2012, 05:55:52 PM by Garryl »

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #32 on: September 26, 2012, 08:12:25 PM »
Roll has been respelled as role.  ``'' has been respelled as ""

Spirit Hands has been corrected.  (Would D&D use 2.5 and 12.5 or 2 1/2 and 12 1/2?)

Aquamorphism has been edited to allow you to not float up to the surface if you so choose.  Aquamorphism no longer crushes you with the awesome, overpowering might of the darkest deeps, within which monsters beyond knowing, beyond feeling, beyond caring, lurk, when it runs out.

Enhance Nerves now requires a free action.  Does this introduce other problems?

I'm not entirely sure how to fix Pin Muscles.  However, the "instead" is intentional; I don't think a technique should be capable of totally removing a target's actions for 3 rounds (It should have a duration of 3 rounds, not 1, like it currently has).  How can I specify that it prevents either the target's ability to move in any way or act in any way that isn't movement?

Thanks to Akashic/Magic Transparency and the line "or a similar instantaneous teleportation effect" Pursue Travler should activate for other teleportation effects.  I would rule that spells like teleport are instantaneous teleportation effects, though technically this is up to the DM.  I do not believe any non-akashic teleportation effect would count as an "extended teleportation effect."

Stale Air now states "magical."  I hope this is better.

Un:Echo works thanks to the magic of Akashic/Magic Transparency.

Dead Flesh lasts for 3 rounds now and doesn't effect positive/negative energy healing.  If you have it, you don't lose it.

As for Meteor Crater, how would spells address this situation?

Currently, both Reject Misery and Reject Pain can cause you to recover more than the target could lose.  If this is a problem, I can reword them.
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Offline Drammor

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Re: Race - Henkei
« Reply #33 on: October 09, 2012, 03:50:45 AM »
For LA 0, you're giving the Henkei all of the benefits of blindness with few to none of the drawbacks; immunity to critical hits, flanking, four forms of save or lose (sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning), one form of save or suck (poison); and if the henkei builds with improving their engulf in mind (seems likely), they have a DC 14/15 Ref save that can easily be increased to 18/19 at level 1 that can inflict 5d6 acid damage per round. Granted, engulf does only affect Small or smaller creatures, unless the henkei can somehow benefit from expansion or a similar size-enhancing effect.

Some of these may not matter in most campaigns, and I'm really not an expert on the balancing attributes of this game, but somehow it seems a bit on the strong side to me.
[20:32] <DonQuixote> A POX UPON YOU ALL!
[20:32] <DonQuixote> YOU, J, FOR STEALING THE PURITY OF NORNS.
[20:32] <DonQuixote> YOU, DRAMMOR, FOR ENSNARING ME IN THIS FIENDISH PRISON.

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #34 on: October 10, 2012, 12:05:14 AM »
As for the blindness, I'm not too worried for two reasons.  One, a 20th level Henkei literally cannot see farther than 60 feet.  Two, Primitive Vision is based on one of the Paizo Oracle's Curses, and while Paizo isn't known for the super-balance, I haven't heard about any problems due to that particular Curse.

As for the other immunities, there are other races that get some of them, like the Warforged.

As for the engulf, I am seeing a bit of the problem.  I'm not so worried about the 18/19 engulf, as someone putting the effort into getting an 18/19 engulf could also be getting a similarly high grapple, with similar shut-down potential.  The engulf acid damage seems to be more of a problem though.  I could remove the acid damage all together, weaken the acid damage, remove the engulf ability, or something else.  Do any of these seem like they would fix the problem?
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Offline DonQuixote

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #35 on: October 11, 2012, 03:44:34 PM »
I have to agree that the visual effects thing doesn't seem to me to be especially problematic.  Given that you can only see out to so far, they can just stand outside of that range and you'll have no idea where they are.  Hell, a ranged henkei is more or less impossible.  Seems like a decent trade.

On Engulf, could the issue be assuaged by changing the acid damage to 1d6+Con modifier?
“Hast thou not felt in forest gloom, as gloaming falls on dark-some dells, when comes a whisper, hum and hiss; savage growling sounds a-near, dazzling flashes around thee flicker, whirring waxes and fills thine ears: has thou not felt then grisly horrors that grip thee and hold thee?”

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #36 on: October 11, 2012, 03:46:35 PM »
1d6 + Con
How could I have not seen that?
Implementing now.
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Offline DonQuixote

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #37 on: October 11, 2012, 03:48:07 PM »
A haiku response?
How dignified you can be.
Mogami gawa~
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Offline samnemath

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #38 on: October 25, 2012, 04:15:18 PM »
I just started reading this. Seems very good!

Is there a reason you didn't include a skillful class? I mean the first mental image I had from your introduction was a guy that could temporarily download skill-sets, feats and techniques. Or even be able to manifest crystalline tools so he is always prepared. Maybe download complete personalities, something like a mix of technician and binder with vestiges that correspond to base classes?


Edit: The Artificial spirit can deliver touch techniques but in the monster description it says "it is never allowed an attack roll". Also, unlike familiar, it doesn't get it's master's BAB. So with a BAB of 0 and Str of 1 it is unlikely to hit anything.

Edit 2: Do effects that affect allies in you territory, like Solar Resistance, persist only as long as they are within your territory?

Edit 3: What is the maximum amount of creatures a Henkei can affect with engulf? I am guessing one medium or small, more if smaller? Also I presume that the Henkei is not considered to be grappling and can continue to act normally?

Edit 4: Sorry for the large number of edits :) Just commenting on thing as I read them. Wild Harmonic + Technician class? Do you add the two tama pools?

Edit 5: Channeled Bursts do not create a burst? They affect only one target? Doesn't that weaken the channeling classes?

Edit 6: Are there supposed to be items or feats that give access to techniques? Wild Harmonic seem somewhat useless without them, unless I missed something.

Edit 7: I really like the Kagaribito. Their Pyros reactor is intriguing. I am thinking of feats that expand it's use. If I think something worthwhile I will post it here. Moreover the Pyros reactor suggests a whole level of technology usable by those who can use tama. Maybe a form of magic items useless on their own, unless the user invests (or spends) tama?

Edit 8: How about this? What do you think?
(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: October 27, 2012, 05:58:12 PM by samnemath »

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
« Reply #39 on: October 27, 2012, 09:30:29 PM »
Initial Question: There isn't a skillful class because I'm not entirely sure what a skillful class would entail other than skill points.  What sort of class features would a skillful class have?  For those reasons, there is not skillful class.

Edit 1: I've fixed that.  Touch attacks are now delivered using the owner's normal attack bonus.

Edit 2: Effects that affect allies in your territory persist only as long as they are within your territory.

Edit 3: Wouldn't it be nice if oozes had some sort of limit on what they could engulf?  Henkei can now only engulf as many creatures as can fit inside their space.  Henkei's are not considered to be grappled if they engulf something.

Edit 4: For Wild Harmonic + Technician class levels, you add the two tama pools.

Edit 5: Channelled Bursts are a bit complicated, but basically you can only 'channel' techniques that only affect a single target.  Other techniques are used as normal.  So you can use a technique that effects an area as normal, without making an attack role.

Edit 6: The Download Technique feat gives access to a single technique.  It can be taken multiple times.  It is designed to work with Wild Harmonic.

Edit 7: The Kagaribito are awesome.  I'll certainly think about items that cost tama to use.  Probably some sort of wondrous items.  I'm a bit leery of racial feats, though, as DonQuixote has had some trouble coming up with all of his racial feats.

Edit 8: That feat doesn't look bad, but again, I have a deep phobia of racial feats.

Thanks for looking at my stuff!
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